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Worship is the spiritual equivalent of the power of magnification. When you begin to worship, you ascend to join the Object of your adoration. If you are soaking in His presence, then you are looking down on your problems. "Oh, magnify the Lord with me." - Psalm 34:3 Times of difficulty give us an opportunity we don't have otherwise, and that is the opportunity to demonstrate sacrificial love to Him by ministering to him instead of attending to our pressing needs. This is what makes strengthening ourselves in the Lord completely opposed to self-sufficiency. "Strengthen me according to thy word...I have chosen the way of faithfulness." - Psalm 119:28,30 When you minister to the Lord He will give you such peace and contentment that you will not wonder or guess—you will know what to do and see God's PURPOSEfor your life. (John 8:29). When God reveals your CALLING to you, He also supplies you with grace and a sense of personal conviction that is needed to carry it (our cross). The yoke is easy, joyful and light when He puts it on us. CREATED IN AND FOR GLORY WE have been created to carry the glory of God. Hebrews 2 says that through Christ's suffering He brought many sons to glory. We are the house of God, and He wants to dwell in His house. It was always God's intention to dwell with mankind. "Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!" - Corinthians 5:17 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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John 14:30 - ".......for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." Pauperhood is relegated to the children of a lesser god. It is the condition of slaves who have yet to discover their freedom on the other side of the river of baptism and find themselves still captured by the dark prince of torture and torment. He is the one who assigns them to a life of poverty, pain, and depression through a diabolical play of illusion. He hopes to conceal their true identity forever. This evil prince feeds his captives the poisonous rations of religion, convincing them they will fill their soul's hunger for righteousness. These slaves, blindfolded by their sin, think that they are laboring for their own freedom and work to pave their way out of prison with bricks built from the miry clay of self-righteousness. Yet, unknowingly, brick by brick, they are erecting their own chambers of death. Worse yet, they birth children into the same darkness, ultimately creating legacies of bondage with mind-sets of hopelessness. Affirmations: I AM NOT JUST A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS; I AM AN HEIR TO THE THRONE. THE DIVINE NATURE PERMEATES MY SOUL, TRANSFORMS MY MIND, TRANSPLANTS MY HEART, AND TRANSFIGURES MY SPIRIT. I WAS MADE TO BE A VESSEL OF HIS GLORY AND VEHICLE OF HIS LIGHT. Psalm 42:1 - "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God." Affirmation: I ONLY QUALIFY FOR WHAT I PURSUE. Jeremiah 29:13 - "And ye shall seek Me, and find Me when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." Ecclesiastes 9:10 - "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him." - John 6:53,54,56 Some have gotten away from the true knowledge of the power of His Blood, and yet they wonder where the power is. In many cases the "Blood of the Gospel" has been put aside; to pat the hand of others and give sympathy. And really what happened was that it became a counterfeit compassion that really encouraged the flesh, rather than bringing the flesh into obedience to the Word. Declare His Word to come forth. Command His Word to become alive and active. Let His Word devour your flesh, so that you can be so devouring with His Word, that all that will not obey, will have to bend, because His Word is eternal. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Psalm 115:16 - "The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; but the earth He has given to the sons of men." The Lord requires the cooperation of men to move on the earth. This is why, even though the Lord knows what we need before we ask Him, He requires that we ask before He moves on the earth. When He demonstrates His kingdom and the powers of heaven to the earth, He does it through men. The Lord could have parted the Red Sea without Moses, but not without violating His own principles of authority. He could have brought down fire on the prophets of Baal with Elijah, but that is not the way He does things on the earth. He gave authority over the earth to men, which is why even the Son of God, Jesus, continually referred to Himself as the Son of Man. He had to come as a man to retake the authority over the earth that had been lost by man's transgression and subsequent subservience to Satan. God ordained that man should rule over the earth and the coming of His kingdom will, therefore, restore man's authority over the earth, to those who worship and obey Him. Affirmations: SINCE I AM IN CHRIST I AM IN ANOTHER REALITY AND ANOTHER LIFE ALTOGETHER. I EXPERIENCE HEAVEN NOW, AND LIVE A LIFE THAT DEMONSTRATES THE REALITY OF HEAVEN ON THIS EARTH. I AM CALLED TO WALK THE EARTH, DO GOOD ON THE EARTH, AND TO DO IT WITH POWER THAT IS NOT OF THIS EARTH. John 14:12 - "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father." Psalm 91:1 - "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." OBSERVATION: When I fail to enter the Secret Place, my pride and self-sufficiency have been documented. Revelation 22:2: "In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." If you are in a season where you feel extremely restless, it could be that God is preparing your heart for transition. You may feel this way because even though you are still dwelling in your present season, God is declaring new things in your heart, which will give you courage to step out of the old and into the new FRUIT BEARING SEASON. God often transitions your heart before He transitions your circumstances. The Refiner's fire comes upon the hearts of God's children to burn away the chaff of orphanship, therefore revealing refined sons and daughters. He is realigning our These winds are going to begin to also fan into flames the fire that God has placed in our hearts.vision and direction, or bringing shifts within our heart as He brings fresh order. God is blowing His winds of change so that the leaves of the Tree of Life will bring healing to the nations.circumstances, ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Nehemiah 4:6 - "So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart." Passion is stamina that says "I'm going to go after this, no matter what happens. If I have to wait ten years, I'm going to get it." Passionate people are those who have discovered something more important than life itself. Jesus told His disciples, "Whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:27) Affirmations: I REALIZE THAT GIVING UP FALSE VISIONS AND AMBITIONS FOR MY GENUINE VISION IS THE PATH TO TRUE LIFE. I AM HUNGRY FOR MY VISION I NEED PASSION TO FULFILL MY VISION. I NEED PURPOSE TO PRODUCE PASSION Matthew 16:25 - "For whoever is bent on saving his life(his comfort and security here) shall lose it (eternal life); and whoever loses his life (his comfort and security here) for My sake shall find it (life everlasting)." Romans 11:29 - "For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. (He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace, or to whom He sends His call.)" The Holy Spirit, the very Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us, making it impossible for us to be content with what we can only see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. Our hearts know there is much more to life than what we perceive with our senses; we are spiritually agitated by the lack of connection with the realm of the supernatural. Written into the spiritual DNA of every believer is an appetite for the impossible that cannot be ignored or wished away. end nothing satisfies the heart of the Christian like seeing so-called impossibilities bow their knees to the name of Jesus. Anything less that this is abnormal and unfulfilling. Affirmations: BAD TEACHING AND DISAPPOINTMENT HAVE ROBBED ME LONG ENOUGH OF THIS REALITY. I REALIZE THAT THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE BEGINS WITH THE REALIZATION THAT WE WERE PUT HERE TO DO THE WILL OF GOD ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. Luke 11:2 - "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." In Psalm 27:8 David said, "When You said, 'Seek My face' my heart said, 'Thy face, Lord, I will seek.'" God is saying to you, "Seek My face." What is your response? Is it like David's? Are you saying, "Thy face God, I will seek." Or are you saying, "When I get caught up at work, or when things slow down a bit..."? The time is NOW and by next month "this time" may have passed. Seek Him now, while He can be found, as the Scripture says (Isaiah 55:6). Acting in the spirit of sacrifice He will come to you and His reward will be with Him: Wherever His presence is, healing is. Wherever His presence is, restoration is. Wherever His presence is, peace is. Wherever His presence is, prosperity is. We WILL See the Goodness of God Psalm 27 ends with "I would have lost heart if I had not believed I would see the goodness of God in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13 Seeing the goodness of God – here, in our life – is the fruit of intimacy with God; it is part of the reward. Seek Him now. Seek His face and see His Goodness. Can you sense His desire for time with you? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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John 14:14,15 - "(Yes) I will grant (I Myself will do for you) whatever you shall ask in My Name. If you (really) love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands." DO LIKE THE RICH YOUNG RULER, WE KNOW SOMETHING IS MISSING IN US. WE ASK THE MASTER, "WHAT STILL HOW IS IT THAT THIS PROMISE IS NOT FULFILLED FOR US? WHY IS IT THAT SUCH GREAT ANTICIPATION RESULTS IN SUCH A SMALL RETURN?I LACK?" JESUS WILL NOT SPONTANEOUSLY ANSWER OUR REQUESTS UNTIL WE INSTINCTIVELY OBEY HIS. OBEDIENCE TO HIS REQUESTS PREPARES US TO EXPERIENCE HIS INDWELLING, WHERE HIS LOVE FINDS ITS FULFILLMENT. IT IS VITAL THAT WE OBEY HIM, BUT CHRIST'S ULTIMATE GOAL IS NOT JUST OUR OBEDIENCE, BUT OUR ONENESS WITH HIM. HE IS AFTER OUR LOVE. AND WHAT IS LOVE? IT IS A PASSION FOR ONENESS. Affirmation: I AROUSE MY SPIRIT TO THE DEEP, HOLY DESIRE IN CHRIST'S PROMISE - "I WILL LOVE HIM, AND WILL DISCLOSE MYSELF TO HIM" (JOHN 14:21). Malachi 3:6 - "I am the lord, I change not." THE WORLD'S ORDER OF THINGS IS UNSURE, INDEFINITE, AND UNRELIABLE. HOWEVER, GOD HAS NO DOUBLE STANDARD. HE DOESN'T SAY ONE THING TODAY AND SOMETHING ELSE TOMORROW. Affirmations: I DEPEND ON THE WORD TO GIVE ME STABILITY WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND ME GIVES WAY. I AM CONFIDENT WHEN OTHERS ARE CONFUSED AND PEACEFUL WHEN OTHERS ARE UNDER PRESSURE BECAUSE I LET WHAT GOD SAYS SETTLE THE ISSUES OF LIFE. I AM OVERCOMING WHEN OTHERS ARE BEING OVERCOME! "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ" - 1 Corinthians 2:16 This is a cross–reference from Isaiah 40:13 which says: "Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD as his counselor?" What Paul was trying to say is that along with the domain of the King comes the reality of our mind being merged with His! Under the law (OLD COVENANT), no one could understand the mind of the Lord, but under grace (NEW COVENANT), we have been given His very mind. This is the reality of a Kingdom Dweller. Our mind is no longer a battleground for the enemy, but a concourse for the Holy Ghost. According to 1 Corinthians 4:1, we are stewards of His mysteries! A steward literally means a governor. A kingdom must be in place for us to govern—and that Kingdom is His, and you are a governor of His mysteries on the earth! That being said, we no longer press in for more of what we don't have but learn all of WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST and OUR RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD which we have been granted through Christ Jesus' Blood! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Isaiah 43:1-3 - "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you: and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." TROUBLES AND AFFLICTIONS ARE OFTEN AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR TRANSFORMATION; AS THEY COMPEL US TOWARD GOD, HE COMPELS US TOWARD CHANGE. EVER MINDFUL OF TRANSFORMING OUR LIVES INTO HIS IMAGE, GOD REDEEMS THE ADVERSITIES WE FACE. WHY DOES THE LORD ALLOW US TO PASS THROUGH CONFLICT IN THE FIRST PLACE? BECAUSE IT IS HERE THAT HE TRAINS HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN CHRISTLIKENESS. Ephesians 1:4 - "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love." MAN IS CALLED TO REST IN GOD, BUT WE MUST ALSO LABOR WITH GOD. IN THIS LABOR, WE MUST FIND WHAT HE CREATED US TO DO. We were foreknown and chosen by God before the world was even created. The God who is so particular and specific also knows what he created us for. We each have a very specific job to do - a very specific calling (DESTINY). We will never know a true peace and fulfillment in our hearts until we are doing our callings. Affirmations: GOD HAS CREATED ME AND CALLED ME TO DO THE DEEPEST DESIRE OF MY HEART. I REJECT THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE WORLD AND BEGIN TO DISCERN THE YOKE THAT GOD HAS CALLED ME TO CARRY. When Jesus first came to the disciples on the shore, after the resurrection in John 21, He was ready and waiting to prepare a feast for His beloved. It's time for us to become like Peter in this passage, and stop waiting for Jesus to come out to us, but rather that we need to rush to be near Him! As soon as Peter was back on the shore, a feast was there waiting that had been prepared for him by Jesus Himself. It was also at this point when Peter had the deepest conversation he'd ever had with Jesus, which regarded love and his relationship with God, as well as his CALLING. (to feed the "sheep"). As you run to Jesus, and dive into your pursuit after Him, He will most definitely pour out His Spirit and presence on you like never before. He has a banquet feast waiting for you, which includes the new wine and manna of Heaven (also known as His joy, His PRESENCE, and His revelation). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Ephesians 2:17-19 - "And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household." IN 2 CORINTHIANS 13:5 WE ARE EXHORTED TO "TEST YOURSELVES TO SEE IF YOU ARE IN THE FAITH; EXAMINE YOURSELVES!" ONE OF THE PRIMARY TESTS OF WHETHER WE ARE CONTINUING ON THE PATH OF LIFE IS BY THE PEACE IN OUR LIFE. JESUS IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE, AND IF WE ARE WALKING CLOSE TO HIM THERE WILL BE A PEACE IN OUR LIFE THAT EXCEEDS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE KNOWN IN THIS WORLD WITHOUT HIM. Things for Me to Consider: IF THERE IS LACK OF PEACE IN MY LIFE, THEN I HAVE DRIFTED FROM HIM. WHAT HAS COME INTO MY LIFE THAT HAS BEGUN TO ECLIPSE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM? 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 - "We realize that being "at home" in the body means that to some extent we are "away" from the Lord, for we have to live by trusting Him without seeing Him. We are so sure of this that we would really rather be "away" from the body and be "at home" with the Lord." Things for Me to Consider: AM I MORE COMFORTABLE WALKING BY FAITH THAN BY WHAT I SEE? AM I BECOMING MORE AT HOME IN THE HEAVENLY REALM THAN IN THE NATURAL? WHERE IS MY HOME? WHEN I THINK OF HOME, WHERE DO I THINK OF FIRST? 2 Corinthians 4:18 -- "While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." We have two sets of ears and two sets of eyes. We have the "NATURAL SET" that we are born with, and we have a "SPIRITUAL SET" that is activated when we are born again. As we grow spiritually, we begin to see with our spiritual eyes and hear with our spiritual ears. John 5:19 - "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Luke 2:44,45 - "But supposing Him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him." Likewise, many of us have become so consumed with our battles that we fail to notice Jesus is not with us on our journey. Jesus' parents returned to where they had last seen Him; so also must we. To renew us, God is bringing us back to our most recent encounter with the living Christ. To reach our place of breakthrough, God is bringing us back to the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For My Prayerful Consideration: IS NOT INTIMACY WITH GOD THE VERY THING I HAVE NEGLECTED? AS I SIMPLY AND TRUTHFULLY EVALUATE, WITHOUT RATIONALIZATION, MY HEART'S CONDITION I AM DRAWN INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD. WHAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A TIME OF DESOLATION IS MORE TRULY A TIME OF PREPARATION. GOD HAS PREPARED FOR ME A NEW BEGINNING. 2 Corinthians 11:3 - "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ." Matthew 16:25 - "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose Following Him always leads to the cross. His triumph was the cross, and it is ours too. If we are in Christ we are to be dead to this world. It is impossible to offend a dead person. It is impossible for a dead person to feel rejected or abused. If this is true we can respond to any situation with God's love.it; but whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it." Luke 16:16 - "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." This realm of God’s Spirit does not come without “pressing” – without contending. The first thing about pressing is seeking. Pressing into it means there is a passionate pursuit of God in prayer. The word “to seek” means to diligently look for and search out earnestly until the object of the search is located. It is as crying out and hungering for the presence of God. AFFIRMATIONS: I press into and lay hold of the kingdom of heaven in an aggressive way. I have a burning heart of fiery witness and passion when it comes to exhorting others in their walk with God. I repent from trying to do God's will without abiding in His presence. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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His Love Is Your Beacon Of Hope - Meditations
Albert Finch posted a blog entry in Albert Finch Ministry
Ephesians 3:19 AMP - "[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!" From deep inside your inner man springs a heartfelt prayer—that you will be filled with the amazing love of Christ; that His love will strengthen you and help you through the darkest nights of your battles. You are not alone, nor are you forgotten. In fact, He holds you ever so close. This amazing love will fill you with all you need, giving you an inner strength to lead you out of the deep, dark forest of confusion and bring you safely home. He is your Beacon of Hope! Are you ready to be flooded by His presence—to have your entire being completely saturated with the fullness of God? In His fullness He'll let you feel His tender mercies pouring over you. In that place you'll discover what it means to belong to Christ personally, and dwell in a place where His eyes actually penetrate the darkness of your heart and shatter its power over you. There's a whole ocean of His love for you to bask in. You find divine healing and blessed hope there as you bask in His fullness where He breathes new life into the broken pieces inside you, making you brand new! HE IS TAKING YOUR BROKEN PIECES Jesus Himself is inviting you into divine relationship, a sweeter communion where His tender affection is poured like a healing balm into all the wounded places of your heart. He takes the broken pieces in His hands and breathing new life into them so you can begin again. He wants you to become deeply rooted in His love and discover the extravagant dimensions of His heart for you. Reach out and take His hand—He's waiting for you even now. As you rest there fathom its depth and rise to the heights of His tender affection for you, filled to overflowing! Take His loving hands today for He is reaching for you even now! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY -
Hebrews 4:12,13 - "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 16:19, "I WILL GIVE UNTO THEE THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." THEN INLUKE 11:52 HE REBUKED LAWYERS FOR TAKING AWAY THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE. IN THAT VERSE HE WAS REFERRING TO THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD. THE WRITTEN WORD OF THE LIVING GOD IS THE KEY TO ALL THINGS BECAUSE ALL THE KEY ISSUES TO EVERY SITUATION ARE COVERED IN ITS PAGES. EVERY PROBLEM SITUATION HAS A KEY ISSUE. SATAN TRIES TO HIDE THOSE KEYS IN ORDER TO KEEP HIS WORK IN PLACE. THAT'S THE REASON HIS DOINGS ARE CALLED WORKS OF DARKNESS. AND AS LONG AS PEOPLE TRY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS BY FIGURING THEM OUT IN THE NATURAL OR CARNAL REALM, THEY ARE STUMBLING AROUND IN DARKNESS. FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS WILL BRING DISASTER. NOT ONLY DOES THE LIGHT OF THE WORD REVEAL THE REAL PROBLEMS, BUT IT ALSO HAS WITH ITSELF THE POWER TO CHANGE EVERYTHING. Affirmations: ONE WORD FROM GOD CAN CHANGE MY LIFE FOREVER! I WALK IN THE WORD BECAUSE WALKING IN THE WORD IS THE MASTER KEY TO SUCCESSFUL LIVING. Psalm 119:130 - "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." "The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds has come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." - Song of Solomon 2:12 The "voice of the turtle dove" is a prophetic voice that speaks God's heart cry into the empty, dead places on the earth. God is raising up the voice of the turtle dove in His Church, using the voices of those who have become mature, deeply humble and meek after their time in the wilderness with Him. This "singing of the birds", also known as (sincere) harmonious prophetic worship, is the key that opens the very windows of Heaven so that fresh revelation comes forth. This will happen wherever the Holy Spirit is welcomed. A new realm of spiritual understanding and experience is available to anyone who will say, "Yes, Lord. Give me ears to hear. Give me a hearing heart." "Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna..." -Revelation 2:17 2 Corinthians 4:17 says, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." When we are fighting principalities, powers, and ungodly, wicked spirits in this world we can protect our vision by keeping a heart sensitive to God throughPRAYER, FASTING, AND THE MEDITATION ON HIS WORD that applies to your situation or problem. God's Word must be our balance and our love for God and people must be our motive for reaching souls. We must protect our vision. We must not grow weary in well doing. Breaking through into the spirit realm at first may seem very difficult, very tough. The struggle of one day of fasting pales in comparison to the benefits that we receive in destroying the works of the flesh and submitting ourselves to the law and direction of the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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2 Corinthians 3:7,8 - "Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious." THE GOAL OF REDEMPTION IS TO RESTORE MAN TO HIS ORIGINAL CONDITION BEFORE THE FALL, WHICH IS WALKING WITH GOD, OBEYING HIM, AND FULFILLING HIS MANDATE TO RULE OVER THE EARTH. GOD ALSO ESTABLISHED THAT HE WOULD NOT ONLY RESTORE MAN TO THE CONDITION FROM WHICH HE HAD FALLEN, BUT RAISE HIM UP AS A GLORIOUS "NEW CREATION," WHICH WAS TO BE MUCH MORE THAN SIMPLY RESTORED TO THE CONDITION OF THE FIRST ADAM - THE NEW CREATION MAN ACTUALLY HAS GOD LIVING IN HIM! GOD HAS MADE MAN HIS TEMPLE AND GOD DWELLS IN MAN. THE ULTIMATE QUEST OF EVERY CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THEREFORE TO BE THE INTIMATE FRIEND OF THE LORD. IF THERE IS ANY WAY WE CAN MEASURE TRUE CHRISTIAN MATURITY, IT WILL BE BY HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO GOD. OUR MATURITY WILL BE REFLECTED BY HOW MUCH OF HIS GLORY IS MANIFESTED THROUGH OUR LIVES. IS OUR RELIGION ABOUT SATISFYING OUR NEEDS AND DESIRES? 2 Corinthians 5:15 - "And He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." Romans 14:7,8 - "For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lords." Our salvation has freed us from ourselves so that we can live for God. We died to the law but we also died to all the claims and aspirations we had staked out as citizens of this world. We no longer live unto, or for ourselves, because we are no long our own. The whole meaning our individual lives and faith consists of serving His purposes. We will only discover and fulfill God's high CALLING (our DESTINY in Christ) when we allow ourselves to be fully subjected to the leading of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19,20 - "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not you own? For you have been bought with a price." Philippians 3:10 - "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death." FOR HIS SAKE, WE CANNOT CONTENT OURSELVES MERELY WITH GOOD WORKS. ULTIMATELY, WE WILL DISCOVER THAT STUDY AND CHURCH ATTENDANCE ARE BUT FORMS THAT HAVE NO SATISFACTION IN AND OF THEMSELVES. OUR PLEASURE WILL BE FOUND NOT IN THE MECHANICS OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES, BUT THAT THESE DISCIPLINES BRING US CLOSER TO THE ALMIGHTY. WE HAVE SATISFIED OURSELVES WITH A SYSTEM OF HISTORIC FACTS ABOUT GOD WITHOUT PRESSING INTO THE REALITY OF GOD. OUR GOAL IS TO SEEK EARNESTLY FOR GOD UNTIL WE FIND HIM. Affirmations: TO TRULY KNOW GOD I MUST SEEK HIM UNTIL I PASS THROUGH MY KNOWLEDGE INTO AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE ALMIGHTY. HAVING FOUND HIM I ALLOW HIS PRESENCE TO FILL MY SPIRIT WITH HIS PEACE. THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD DRAWS ME INTO THE PLACE OF SURRENDER, WHERE I YIELD MY BEING INTO HIS HANDS. AS I LISTEN TO HIM, I ASCEND HIGHER TO THE DWELLING PLACE OF LOVE. I PRESS-IN TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST WHICH SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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James 1:2-4 - "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." EVERY TRIAL IN OUR LIVES IS ALLOWED FOR TWO PURPOSES: THE FIRST IS TO CONFORM US TO THE IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST, WHICH IS THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. THE SECOND IS TO BRING US TO A PLACE OF MATURITY WHERE HE CAN TRUST US WITH MORE AUTHORITY TO DO THE WORKS THAT HE DID, WHICH ARE THROUGH THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT. THEREFORE, WE MUST SEIZE OUR TRIALS AS JAMES ENCOURAGES, COUNTING THEM AS JOY, BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS LEAD TO THE DAWN'S LIGHT. Zechariah 12:1 - "Thus says the Lord, Who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him." God is Spirit, and Zechariah 12 tells us that God formed the spirit of man within him. The human spirit is what makes relationship and fellowship with God possible at all. Through his spirit, man can walk in step with God. In the Spirit he is one with God. Through his spirit he knows of God and receives everything God wants to communicate to Him. It is in Man's spirit that Christ takes up residence. He who puts on Christ is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 - "But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him." Psalm 5:3 -- 'In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.' Hearing from God is living with expectation toward Him because expectation places a demand on the Holy Spirit. We should live with expectation toward God twenty-four hours a day, for He abides within us at all times. God does talk. He is speaking continually. Christians need to develop their receivers (their human spirits) which will enable them to tune in to the voice of the Holy Spirit. If we start our day by thinking of all that needs to be done, our minds will attempt to figure things out, and we'll shut God out of our thoughts. If we focus on Him, He will talk to us and direct our day. AFFIRMATIONS: I live with expectation, I pray with expectation, I listen with expectation -- I hear HIS VOICE. I take time to listen to the Lord to hear strategies for myself, my family, and the needs of the Kingdom. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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2 Corinthians 4:13 - "We have the same spirit of faith as he (the psalmist) who wrote, I have believed and therefore have spoken. We too believe, and therefore we speak." TO SPEAK BY FAITH IS SIMPLY TO SPEAK WORDS THAT AGREE WITH THE WORD OF GOD INSTEAD OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND YOU. IT'S SPEAKING FROM YOUR SPIRIT INSTEAD OF FROM YOUR MIND. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT GOD USES WORDS TO "CALL THOSE THINGS WHICH BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE"(ROMANS 4:17). Affirmations: I SPEAK THE END RESULT OF WHAT GOD'S WORD TELLS ME ABOUT MY SITUATION AS OPPOSED TO THE WAY IT APPEARS TO THE SENSES. I STOP "TELLING IT LIKE IT IS" AND START SPEAKING AND BELIEVING THE PROMISES OF GOD. I PUT THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD TO WORK FOR ME. Proverbs 18:21 - "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Ephesians 4:17-19 - "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness." THERE'S A SUBTLE STRATEGY SATAN USES TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR LIVES. THE BIBLE CALLS IT LASCIVIOUSNESS AND IT MEANS "TO HAVE NO RESTRAINT" AND HAS BEEN PREACHED AS BEING EXTREME IMMORALITY, BUT IT DOESN'T START OUT THAT WAY. IT BEGINS WITH JUST A FEW SEEMINGLY INNOCENT THOUGHTS. THEN THOSE THOUGHTS GROW AND GROW UNTIL THEY BEGIN TO PRODUCE SERIOUS SIN. Affirmations: I DON'T LET SATAN USE THE STRATEGY OF LASCIVIOUSNESS ON ME. I MAKE MY MIND AND HEART TODAY TO OBEY GOD EVEN IN THE LITTLE THINGS. I AVOID BIG FAILURES BY WALKING IN HIS SPIRIT ONE SMALL STEP AT A TIME. "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." - Psalm 23:5,6 When Jesus spoke out across the waters (John 21) and instructed the disciples to cast their nets on the other side of the boat in order to usher in a catch of fish, first John and then Peter recognized that it was the Lord. As soon as Peter knew that Jesus was standing there waiting, he waited no longer; he dove into the water (leaving the boat behind), and raced back to shore on his own to meet his beloved Lord. It's time for us to become like Peter in this passage, and stop waiting for Jesus to come out to us, but rather that we need to rush to be near Him! As soon as Peter was back on the shore, a feast was there waiting that had been prepared for him by Jesus Himself. It was also at this point when Peter had the deepest conversation he'd ever had with Jesus, which regarded love and his relationship with God, as well as his CALLING. (to feed the "sheep"). As you run to Jesus, and dive into your pursuit after Him, He will most definitely pour out His Spirit and presence on you like never before. He has a banquet feast waiting for you, which includes the new wine and manna of Heaven (also known as His joy, His PRESENCE, and His revelation). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Philippians 3:7-9 -- "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him." OBSERVATION: At some point I have to cease being a spiritual encyclopedia (That is, collecting more facts, opinions, illustrations and interpretations, and then presenting them as my faith). I make a quality decision today to turn myself over to God, submit to His training and breaking so that He can discard all that hinders me from seeing Christ as He is.....In God's eyes. My only hope for salvation from lesser things is Christ.....a greater Christ than the one I have been content with until now. Hebrews 1:2,3 -- "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom He made the worlds. Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." 1 Corinthians 4:20 - "For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power." We are called to be forerunners and messengers of the coming kingdom. The power of our message will be directly related to the power of the life that is in us. Our goal is to live and reveal the power of the life that is in Christ Jesus. Our life and character should be so different and powerful in Christlikeness, that we stand out because of them. Not only are we a priesthood, we are a "royal" priesthood. Christians are the true royalty on earth. Affirmations: THE POWER THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO TESTIFY OF THE COMING KINGDOM IS THE POWER OF LIFE. THIS LIFE IS INFINITELY MORE PRECIOUS THAN ANYTHING I COULD EVER POSSESS ON THIS EARTH. MY IDENTITY IS TRULY IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND MY PRIESTLY CALLING TO MINISTER AND INTERCEDE FOR OTHERS ON A DAILY BASIS. Psalm 115:8 - "Those who make them (idols) will become like them, everyone who trusts in them." THE ONLY REASON WE TOLERATE DEAD IDOLS IS BECAUSE, WHILE THEY CANNOT HELP US, NEITHER CAN THEY HARM US NOR CONVICT US OF SIN. THE CONSEQUENCES OF HARBORING IDOLS IS THAT WE BECOME LIKE THEM. SIN CAN BECOME AN IDOL -- A FALSE GOD THAT DEMANDS OUR OBEDIENCE. SIDE BY SIDE WITH SIN IS THE IDOL OF FALSE KNOWLEDGE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Today we set our hearts and focus on the presence of the Lord and His NOW word that brings divine impartation that will enable us to flourish into a season of great fruitfulness for the glory of the Lord. John 15:8 - "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." Basking in His presence and power, love takes hold more deeply, joy springs forth like a river, peace is established by the Prince of Peace, and we are empowered to live above our natural ability. Galatians 5:25 - "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives." NLT We are enabled to live in the Spirit and by the Spirit—cultivating, nurturing, and developing His nature and attributes from glory to glory. In His presence, His gifts and the fruit of His Spirit are continually increasing and flowing with rivers of His goodness that provide all we need for life and godliness. His presence is also a place of genuine hunger for the Word of God, hunger for fresh bread from the Word every day. There the Word comes alive and mysteries are revealed as the Word becomes like fire in the bones. Within us arises a holy boldness to decree the Word of God to shift the unseen realm and break down every barrier of the enemy with the power of the Word. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 - "for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction;" QUESTION TO ASK OURSELVES: Are we are about to see increase—increase of His ability that releases us to be all we are to be and to accomplish all He purposes for us to accomplish? Ephesians 3:16 - "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;" Your future comes from God’s possibilities and from His potential, not the world’s, not your own. His potential and all of His promises of possibility flow through the Holy Spirit into you, and He will strengthen you with His might to accomplish those things, to be who you are called to be, to do what you are called to do (God'sPURPOSE for your life), and to have what you are promised to have. The Holy Spirit desires us to live every day in the fullness of the Lord, by seeing above and beyond what we can do, and He desires for Jesus to receive glory and honor through His great power that works in us and through us. This is the essence of what Paul writes about inEphesians 3:20–21: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Psalm 42:11 - "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God: For I shall yet praise Him." DAVID BEGAN TO SELF-TALK WHEN HE FELT DISCOURAGEMENT COME UPON HIM. Observation: I CAN SPEAK TO MY EMOTIONS AND TAKE CONTROL OF THEM BY TELLING MY INNER MAN TO HOPE IN GOD. HOPE WORKS AGAINST DISCOURAGEMENT AND DESPAIR, SO WHEN I SPEAK THE "WORD" TO MY SPIRIT, I AM STRENGTHENED AND ENCOURAGED BY GOD. John 19:30 - "When Jesus therefore, had received the vinegar, he said, 'It is finished': and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." AT THAT, JESUS' DISCIPLES, LOOKING TO THEIR OWN LIMITATIONS AND THE SEEMING HOPELESSNESS OF THEIR SITUATION, SCATTERED. THEY HID THEMSELVES. THEY WEREN'T THINKING ABOUT JESUS' PROMISE: THEY WERE THINKING ONLY ABOUT HOW POWERLESS, HELPLESS, AND AFRAID THEY FELT WITHOUT HIM. Observation: IF THE DEVIL CAN GET ME TO CONSIDER WHAT I PERCEIVE AS A LIMITATION OF MY BODY, MY MIND, OR MY FINANCES - HE WILL DEFEAT ME. BUT IF GOD CAN GET ME TO TAKE ONE STEP BEYOND MY OWN LIMITS, HE WILL GIVE ME THE VICTORY. I WILL TAP INTO HIS POWER THAT HAS NO LIMITS, AND I WILL SOAR TO HEIGHTS OF VICTORY AND SUCCESS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE. John 3:3 - Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again." We must know by revelation that we are not struggling to get up into heaven; rather that we were born there in spiritual rebirth. Psalm 110:1,2 - The Lord (God) says to my Lord (the Messiah), "Sit at My right hand until I make Your adversaries Your footstool. The Lord will send forth from Zion the scepter of Your strength; rule, then, in the midst of Your foes." Ephesians 2:6 - "and raised us up with Him, and made us sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" We have been raised up and seated with Christ in heavenly places. This is why the Holy Spirit continues to speak to us that the worship of God is our first response in battle. Affirmations: I POSITION MYSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND SIT AT REST IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY MADE MY ENEMIES THE FOOTSTOOL FOR MY FEET. AS I REST IN HIS VICTORY I RULE IN THE MIDST OF MY ENEMIES. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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If we are to experience RESTORATION, we must believe in one true God and in His living Word. God promised us this very thing through Joel: "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you" (Joel 2:25). What a magnificent promise. Do you believe it? They may not always line up with our time frame, but always with His. To restore means that God makes restitution for what has been taken. It means to complete, finish, and to make safe. Interestingly enough, the Hebrew word for restoration is the root word of shalom, which means that God makes us whole, He strengthens us, and restores our peace. When God says that He will restore to us what the locusts have eaten, He is promising to make us WHOLE AND COMPLETE, which will in turn lead us into our DESTINIES. John 14:6,7 - "Jesus saith unto him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.'" Unless we can be corrected, unless we are seeking God for an unfolding revelation of His Son, our so-called "faith" may be, in reality, just a lazy indifference, a deception concerning the things of God. Subconsciously, we may actually want a dead religion so we do not have to change. True faith is freighted with the power of God. Timothy 3:5 - "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. " "The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but I am come that they may have life and have it more abundantly" - (John 10:10). We know that the enemy's strategy is to create destruction in our lives. Yet, Jesus said He came to give us abundant life! The word life is translated "Zoe" in the Greek, which means THE GOD KIND OF LIFE. You are called to live the God kind of life! This life is not a life of lack but a life of abundance; a life of overflow! Do not settle for anything that is not God's best! God wants the very best for His children! AFFIRMATIONS: God is calling for me to arise and take a strong stand against the works of darkness (Jude 1-4). I am to take the land. I lay hold of the promises of God, take Him at His word, and stand firm in faith. Rather than just being content to sit and hear, I become an activator of the Word. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Matthew 12:28 -- "If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you." The unseen world has influence over the visible. The Kingdom is here and now. We must acknowledge that it's in the invisible realm. Just as Jesus worked only through the Spirit of God, we need to do likewise as His agent. The enemy's attempt to anchor our affections to the things that are visible is easily resisted when our hearts are aware of the presence of the Kingdom of God. 2 Corinthians 4:18 -- Meanwhile our eyes are fixed, not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen: for what is seen passes away; what is unseen is eternal. INTO ACTION: What are you doing daily to establish the presence of the Kingdom of God in your consciousness? 1. 2. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Philippians 3:12 -- "But I keep going on, trying to grasp that purpose for which Christ Jesus grasped me." Psalm 63:1 -- "O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You: my inner self thirsts for you, in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water." OBSERVATIONS: I do not want to just give mental assent to Christian doctrine. I want to see, have contact with, and live in the experienced reality of Christ's actual presence. I want to press into God to lay hold of the purpose for which Christ Jesus has saved me and wants me to be. INTO ACTION: What are you doing to commune with, embrace, and press into the Lord Jesus? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Matthew 6:6 - "When you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray." For us to enter our "closet" (set apart place) to pray requires that we actively and determinedly MAKE ROOM, where there is no room. For us to establish a "set apart time and place" for prayer, and then maintain this time for prayer, does not come easily. Therefore, we must place a high value on the time that we spend alone with the Lord, or it will be overtaken and replaced with activities. This "set apart time to be alone with the Lord" must constantly be contended for. Our Lord is very sensitive about "room being made" for Him, as, when He was born into this world, there was "no room" in the inn. Thus, when anyone of us actively determines to make room for Him, He quickly notices and responds. Observation: CHRIST DESIRES FOR ME TO LEAVE THE FAMILIAR, DISTRACTING WORLD OF MY SENSES AND ABIDE IN THE WORLD OF MY HEART, BEARING IN MIND THAT THE HIGHEST GOAL OF PRAYER IS TO FIND GOD. EVERY MINUTE I SEE GOD IS A MINUTE ENRICHED WITH NEW LIFE AND NEW POWER FROM GOD. Affirmation: I PERSIST DAY BY DAY, AND WEEK BY WEEK, UNTIL I HAVE DRAWN NEAR ENOUGH TO GOD THAT I CAN HEAR HIS VOICE. Matthew 7:8 - "For everyone who keeps on asking receives: and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, the door will be opened." John 17:3 - "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent." ULTIMATELY OUR WORK OF MINISTRY WILL ONLY LAST IF WE PROVOKE PEOPLE TO SEEK AND COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST. WHILE WE ARE CALLED TO DO GOOD WORKS, AND HELP PEOPLE PRACTICALLY, OUR PRIMARY CALLING IS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO SEEK GOD. AND THAT WILL ONLY COME AS WE MAKE MEETING WITH HIM OUR PRIMARY CALLING AND WORK. Song of Solomon 4:16 - "Arise, north wind, and come south wind; blow through my garden and let its spices flow out." INVITE THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE SPIRIT OF LIFE, TO COME AND BREATHE THROUGH YOU. DESIRE THAT YOUR GARDEN BE FILLED WITH FLOWERS AND FRUITS AND THAT ITS FRAGRANCE DRAW OTHERS TO HIM. THE BRIDEGROOM (JESUS) WANTS YOUR RESURRECTION TO BE QUICK SO THAT YOU MIGHT RECEIVE NEW LIFE BY THE BREATH OF THE SPIRIT. THE SPIRIT WILL BRING YOU TO LIFE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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John 6:5,7 - "So when Jesus went up into the hills and sat down with His disciples around Him, he soon saw a great multitude of people climbing the hill, looking for Him. Turning to Philip he asked. 'Philip, where can we buy bread to feed all these people?' Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Philip got caught up in thinking about the problem. He was figuring out how may people there were....how much money was in the treasury....and how much bread costs. He was so preopccupied with his own doubts and questions that the problems were speaking to him more loudly than the Lord. As a result, he answered Jesus without really listening to Him. OBSERVATION: The Lord often asks us to go beyond our abilities. Our usual response is to express our limitations -- not realizing that Jesus is asking us to place our limited ability in His hand, so He can multiply it. AFFIRMATION: WHEN I GET OUTSIDE OF MYSELF AND BEGIN TO THINK INSIDE THE WORD OF GOD, I GET OUTSIDE OF MY LIMITATIONS AND INTO THE LIMITLESS POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD! Philippians 4:6 - "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Christ's presence within us is our assurance that we can live in peace, even in times of pressure and turmoil. This is the abundant life purchased for us by the broken body and spilled Blood of the Lamb of God at Calvary. He died and rose again to birth the Kingdom of God within us when we are born again. The Prince of Peace abides within us! We have a Blood-bought right to walk in uninterrupted shalom, free from all anxiety and fear, because of the living, breathing presence of Christ in our temple. Affirmations: JESUS IS MY GREAT HIGH PRIEST, AND HE IS INTERCEDING FOR ME RIGHT NOW. WITH GOD ON MY SIDE, I CAN ENJOY LIFE AS HE INTENDED FOR ME TO ENJOY IT. I BOLDLY CONFESS THAT I AM FEAR-FREE AND THAT ANXIETY HAS NO PLACE IN ME! I DECLARE THIS BY FAITH IN JESUS' NAME! Song of Solomon 3:6 - "Who is she that goes up by the wilderness, like a pillar of smoke, from the incense of myrrh, and frankincense, and all the powders of the perfumer?" YOU BECOME SO PURE IN THE ARMS OF YOUR BELOVED (JESUS) THAT YOU SEEM LIKE A BREATH OF AIR CONSUMED BY THE FIRE OF LOVE. YOUR UPRIGHTNESS IS LIKE SMOKE RISING. YOUR SPIRITUAL NATURE IS CLEARLY EVIDENT. YOU FLOW UPWARD, COMING FORTH FROM THE WILDERNESS OF FAITH. WHERE ARE YOU GOING? TO REST IN GOD. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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2 Corinthians 5:7 - "For we walk by faith, not by sight." "Sense knowledge" is the attitude that says, "if I cannot see it, then it is not real. I'll believe it when I see it." This means that faith and sense knowledge are not compatible. Faith is the substance and evidence of things that your sense knowledge cannot see. Luke 8:47 is the story of the woman who had an issue of blood who desperately pressed through the crowd to lay hold of the hem of Jesus' garment. Most of the time when Jesus was healing the crowds of people He was doing that which He saw the Father doing. But in this instance it wasn't Jesus that "SET THE TIME" for this woman's miracle, but rather the woman "SET THE TIME" through her faith, desperation and determination. Many times when we are believing for a miracle we may feel we have positioned ourselves and we are waiting on God, when in fact, God is waiting on us to activate our faith to "set the time" for the release of the supernatural turnaround. Pull your future miracle into the NOW by activating your faith and pressing into His presence as never before. Remember, every day is Jubilee when you are in Christ! 1 Corinthians 13:4,5 - "Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offence." Affirmations: I CONFESS THAT I AM NEVER GOING TO STOP UNTIL I HAVE ATTAINED THE HIGH LEVEL OF LOVE JESUS WANTS ME TO HAVE IN MY LIFE! AS I SPEND TIME WITH JESUS, I AM BEING CHANGED INTO HIS IMAGE - AND I DEMONSTRATE HIS LIFE AND HIS NATURE TO OTHER PEOPLE! Song of Solomon 2:16 - "My beloved is mine and I am his: he feeds among the lilies." THERE IS UNIMAGINABLE HAPPINESS FOR YOU AS YOU WHOLLY AND UNRESERVEDLY DEVOTE YOURSELF TO YOUR LORD. YOU KNOW THAT YOU BELONG TO YOUR BELOVED (JESUS): HE MAY DO WITH YOU WHAT PLEASES HIM. HE LIVES UPON INNOCENCE AND PURITY, NOURISHING YOU WITH THE SAME FOOD. HE INVITES YOU TO EAT WITH HIM THE FOOD WHICH HE LIKES BEST. Isaiah 55:2 - "Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Habakkuk 2:1-2: "I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart; and I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me...Then the Lord answered me and said, 'Record the vision...'" Ways to be sure what you're hearing is from Him: TEST THE ORIGIN (1 John 4:1) Thoughts from our own minds are progressive, with one thought leading to the next. Thoughts from the Holy Spirit are spontaneous. The Hebrew word for true prophecy is "naba",which literally means to bubble up, whereas false prophecy is "ziyd" meaning to boil up. True words from the Lord will bubble up from our innermost being; we don't need to cook them up ourselves. COMPARE IT TO BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES God will never say something to you personally which is contrary to His universal revelation as expressed in the Scriptures. If the Bible clearly states that something is a sin, no amount of journaling can make it right. Much of what you journal about will not be specifically addressed in the Bible, however, so an understanding of Biblical principles is also needed. COMPARE IT TO THE NAMES AND CARACTER OF GOD REVEALED IN THE BIBLE Anything God says to you will be in harmony with His essential nature. Journaling will help you get to know God personally, but knowing what the Bible says about Him will help you discern what words are from Him. Make sure the tenor of your journaling lines up with the character of God as described in the names of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. TEST THE FRUIT (Matthew 7:15-20) What effect does what you are hearing have on your soul and your spirit? Words from the Lord will quicken your faith and increase your love, peace, and joy. They will stimulate a sense of humility within you as you become more aware of Who God is and who you are. On the other hand, any words you receive which cause you to fear or doubt, which bring you into confusion or anxiety, or which stroke your ego must be immediately rebuked and rejected as lies of the enemy. SHARE IT WITH YOUR SPIRITUAL COUNSELORS (Proverbs 11:14) We are members of a Body! A cord of three strands is not easily broken, and God's intention has always been for us to grow together. Nothing will increase your faith in your ability to hear from God like having it confirmed by two or three other people who have a solid Biblical orientation. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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It is essential to our spiritual health that we spend quality time in His presence, waiting upon Him. Only then, will we have the spiritual energy to face the challenges, testings, and problems of life. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 During these times of intimate fellowship, we are brought into a closer union with Him. In the closeness of this communion, we will receive of His life and strength, and along with this, we will come into a deeper understanding of spiritual principles and an unfolding of His Word, which will draw us yet closer. "...The times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:19 "Waiting upon the Lord" is the key to a victorious, overcoming life. Throughout the Psalms, whenever David found himself in difficult circumstances, he constantly reminded himself to "wait upon the Lord." "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." Psalm 27:14 It is here in His presence that we will begin to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom. There will be a realignment of our inner being, and our priorities will change from the natural to the spiritual. Our spiritual senses will be energized by His presence and restored to respond to His purposes. SOWING TO THE SPIRIT As we wait upon the Lord, we will experience a genuine encounter with the Lord. Then wherever we go, the result of this "manifest presence" that we have experienced, will cut through every bondage and fear in those who are witnessing the result of our life being the expression of His life. During these prolonged times spent in His presence, we are "sowing" to the Spirit – enlarging our capacity to flow with the Holy Spirit. It is always costly to the natural man, but this provides us with the opportunity to overcome. Many "early morning risings" may seemingly bear no fruit at all, but the continued lifting up of our desire for Him, along with our worship and the obedience of seeking after Him, rather than things, will in time bring forth within us an accumulative effect that will surprisingly produce a profound spiritual result. We will have "become" a prophetic vessel that is available to Him. These times of "waiting upon the Lord," in His presence, do not produce quick results, but rather, lasting ones. Jesus commanded us to abide in Him, adding that it will cause us to bear "fruit that remains." But, the abiding life – a life that "waits" in God's presence, will produce fruit that will stand in eternity. "I love them that love Me; and those who seek Me early shall find Me... that I may cause those who love Me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures." Proverbs 8:17, 21 OPEN THE DOOR AND INVITE HIM IN Indeed, the Lord is knocking on the door of our hearts and our lives. He is seeking to enter in. He is seeking a people that will respond to His knock and that will open the door and invite Him in, that they might "wait upon Him." 1. Come apart from all activity, and sit quietly in an attitude of worship. 2. Sit quietly in an attitude of worship and expectancy, as if looking at a door expecting at any moment that the door will open, and a person will enter (Jesus). 3. Spiritual strength is renewed as we draw on the life of Jesus that flows out from the throne – NOT abstract power as some teach. We are to seek a person, not power. 4. Mabe you have felt nothing after several minutes or hours of waiting -- but after the time of waiting, everything that you do is accomplished much better, and you notice a glow in your spirit. Now you can say with confidence: "...Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits." Song of Solomon 4:16 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY nttp://afministry.ning.com
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1 Peter 1:23 - "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." POWER IN PRAYER IS NOT BASED ON EMOTIONS, FEELINGS, OR THE THEORIES OF MEN, BUT UPON THE WORD OF GOD, OUR AGREEMENT WITH IT, OUR ONENESS WITH CHRIST, WHO IS THE LIVING WORD, AND OUR UNITY WITH GOD'S PURPOSES AND WILL. Hebrews 10:38 - "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Knowing that you are on the rock foundation of Matthew 16:18,19 and able to bind and to loose -- having that living faith that you can pray and know you have the answer because of God's promises, and the fact that Jesus said, "If Ye believe." It is on this rock that our faith must be based, and this will never fail; God has established it forever. Affirmations: I REFUSE TO RELINQUISH ANY OF MY GOD-PROMISED TERRITORY! MY FAITH IS TOUGH, RESISTANT, PERSISTENT, OBSTINATE, AND STUBBORN. MY SPIRIT IS SO TENACIOUS THAT IT REFUSES TO LET GO! IT ISN'T A QUESTION OF "IF" MY VICTORY WILL COME - IT'S ONLY A QUESTION OF "WHEN" IT WILL COME! Song of Solomon 1:4 - "Draw me (The Believer)! We (The Church) will run after you (Jesus)! The king (Jesus) brings me into his apartments! We will be glad and rejoice in you! We will recall your love, more fragrant than wine. The upright love you." NOW HIS BRIDE IS FILLED WITH UNSPEAKABLE JOY FOR SHE KNOWS THAT SHE IS FOUND IN HIM (JESUS). SHE PREFERS THE BRIDEGROOM (JESUS) OVER EVERYHING ELSE. HERE IS THE HEIGHT OF HER JOY AND PLEASURE. Psalm 105:4 - "Seek, inquire of and for the Lord, and crave Him and His strength; seek and require His face and His presence continually evermore." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY